Daron Malakian of System Of A Down has opened up about the band’s brief exploration of a potential replacement for Serj Tankian.
In May of last year, Tankian shared in his memoir, Down With the System: A Memoir (Of Sorts), that his reluctance to tour led him to suggest in 2017 that the band should continue without him so they could pursue their dreams. Although the other members resisted this idea initially, they later began to consider new vocalists, which Tankian learned about during a charity event. Ultimately, those auditions didn’t lead to any changes, and he has remained part of the group since.
Recently, in an interview on Ultimate Guitar‘s podcast, On The Record, Malakian revealed more about that tumultuous time. He emphasized, “This was never something I wanted to pursue. For me, System Of A Down is the four of us. If one person isn’t involved, I’m not really interested in continuing.” He acknowledged that while they considered the option of bringing someone new onboard, the effort was not pursued seriously, stating, “We tried out a few people who sounded good, but I’m not going to get into names.”
Malakian added that he was actually more against the idea of a replacement than anyone might assume. “People might think I would be the most eager to find someone new, but I was the most resistant. I don’t want to see other faces there. System is System, and without that, it’s not something I want to be part of.”
Addressing rumors about the reason behind not moving forward with a new singer, he clarified that it was not due to vocal limitations. “Serj and I have never discussed why it didn’t happen. The real reason is that I wasn’t willing to pursue this without him. I appreciate the band for what it is, and I don’t want to change that.”
Malakian’s fondness for his bandmates is no secret. In a previous interview with NME about his other project, Scars On Broadway, he remarked on the strong bond that has developed within System Of A Down. “For the first time in a long while, we enjoyed each other’s company on tour,” he said. “It felt great to rediscover our friendship.”
When it comes to the possibility of a new System Of A Down album, he expressed hesitance, saying, “The album-making process can sometimes put a strain on us. Honestly, I’m a bit fearful of diving back into it. I’d rather focus on enjoying our friendships.” Drummer John Dolmayan had similarly remarked that collaboration could be tricky if Malakian brings fully formed ideas to the table.
Bassist Shavo Odadjian has also indicated his openness to new material, and while Tankian has had varying sentiments about recording again—sometimes expressing eagerness, other times hesitance—the future of a new album remains uncertain.
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